Low-Profile Patch Antenna with Parasitic Elements for CubeSat Applications

With the rapid growth of miniaturized devices for space missions, CubeSats as small satellites are becoming more and more popular. Their reduced development time, launch cost, and small size made them very attractive for the challenging environment of space. However, communication between CubeSats and the earth request the development of high-data-rate, compact and credible RF subsystems, which must include an antenna with excellent radiation characteristics. The main idea of this article is the use of Parasitic Elements (PEs) for improving performances of an antenna for CubeSats without increasing its physical size. The proposed antenna is a low-profile microstrip patch antenna (MPA) with four PEs. This antenna is designed, and analyzed using the CEM software HFSS. Additionally, CST MWS is used to confirm the HFSS results by re-simulation of the proposed antenna. Results of both HFSS and CST MWS are in good agreement and the optimized design achieves quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern, high gains, and wide-bands at our operating frequencies.